Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1887-11-25

ulation of one hundred Thousand mil
lions. Our good old forefathers, after
making frequent explorations, settled
down into an opinion that there was
no territory west OF New Englan'
worth occupancy. Take Pullman
palace ear to-day and travel over the
Continent and see how vast are oul
resources. Our wealth in 1888 was
estimated at forty-seven billions o.
dollars, a sum large enough to pur
chase more than half OF Europe. Oui
country is now at peace with
itself and all nations. While
the crops throughout the country
have been light during the last
year vet, as the President in his mes
sage says, we have plenty. We have
abundant reason to be thankful, and
especially have we, the people OF
Southern California, great reason to
bow on heads in humble thanksgiv-
ing. We have had wonderful
growth of prosperity, have received
an nprecedented emigration OF the
best people OF the East into our midst,
and we have been blessed by the alb
sence of pestilence and anarchism.
Is it not meet that we should meet
here in this union service in view
OF all this?
We have four classes OF people in
this country. Fir~t, those who sheer
inglv ignore God. Whence these
mercies and blessings come they do
not care to Inquire. They think this
ddv, with its services, nonsense and a
relict of antiqulted superstition. Ii
they acknowledge the existence OF II
Go |, he is great creature, of nature
vague in their Imagination. The sec
ond class believe in God, but not in
his interference with his subjects.
He has wound up this world as a
clock and it can but run down. We
are bound by certain fixed and immu'
table laws. Our condition is what we
make it. A third class reverently
believe in God and tremble at his
power. They admit that to Him they
owe all, and that He is the strength
of the world. They have happy homes,
share the bounties of His grace, but
they will not give one sign OF this be-
lief. They do not answer the call of
the President of the United States.
They may be thankful, but fail to
show it publicly. The fourth class
know that this is not a world of
chance, and they do not believe that
from potent atom, through evolution
this world has found an existance.
They attribute all to God; they rev.
erence Him, knowing that he is as far
above His creations as the earth from
the skies. To them He is ia the
flower, the leahet, the sunshine, the
cloud, the wind and the storm. He
setteth one up and lieth another low
These persons feel that owing all to
Him it is sweet to render outspo ken
gratitude for his kindness.
There is another attitude we as
Christians, should consider, it is
profound humiliation before God.
They who know their duty and do it
not shall be beaten with many
stripes. We as Christians must
work and pray. We have
more to do than to struggle for earthly
gain. There is too great 81 haste to
grow rich. A false value is nut upon
gold. The tendency of the day is to
measure q man by his bank account,
by his carriage or by the blood OF his
horses In Dnsequence OF our great
here mems heads are being
turned. Speculative schemes accom-
panied by brass bands are becoming
too common. Speculation on the
future, anticipation of boarded wealth
may do us untold harm. There are
many other evils eating at the vitals
OF common veal. lmpurity i'll politi-
cal organizations, vile literature, GRIM
inal immigration, socialism and Nor
monism. Sabbath dissertation does
not rank low in the file. In sunny
California it can well be said We have
no legal Sabbath. Saloons are open,
shops are open, excursions are rul-
ming, while brass bands and baseball
are in full blast. Well may we hang
our heads when we see these desecra-
tons, for it is a burning shame. Zap
plause.l But there is another evil
which is the foundation Ct
almost all that is vile. it
is intemperance. 1t is national
curse. 1t is now filling our jails, hos
pitfalls and poor-houses. The New
York Tribune says it is the center OF
all political and social evil 1t is an
evil, the practice OF which softens the
brain, poisons the blood and wrecks
the body. 1t debases the affections
and renders man unfit for society. 1t
has given us one million drunkards
and has despoild more homes. 1t is a
traffic in rags, in blood and misery.
May God help us. But what should
grow ont OF our realization of the good
and evil which surrounds us? First:
A deep sense of gratitude. Second:
Humiliation. Out of these will grow
a desire to do something. Are we to
meet here, thank God, review our
status, go home, eat u superb
Thanksgiving dinner and go back to
the same old rut. God forbid. l
think the trouble is with US Chris
tians. There are 1000 church men,
bers in this city and if they should
rise up in solid phalanx and put their
shoulders to the wheel and say
we will stop here, something would
happen. l do not wish to boycott
the newspapers; but if we would say,
No paper can 60 inside our doors on
Sunday, newspaper men would thank
us, for they are only filling the de-
mand, and would gladly rest one day
in seven. If we say, No more excur-
sions, the locomotives rush would
not be heard on the Sabbath. Ii We
say, More purity in government" we
will have it. Ii we say, No more sa-
looms, they will close. If we say. We
will have Sabbath, we will have
one. If we cannot arouse ourselves to
action, let us sell our church property
and disband. But we can do some
thing, and by the grace OF God we
will. We love our country, we love
our flag; but we realize that over this
beautiful banner floats one dyed scar
let with blood. 1t we love more, for
it is the standard OF Jesus Christ.
Under this standard we NAV hope for